It’s not only the US that has interests in the PRC/Taiwan territorial issue … it’s also a major issue for Japan. PRC expansion into Taiwan would severely upset the balance of power in East Asia, and Japan as well as the United States don’t want to see that happen. A democratic Taiwan that is not controlled by the PRC (this would all be disrupted by independence, that’s why Washington supports maintaining its version of the “status quo”) would cause big trouble for everyone (except for France, of course, since I’m sure the PRC would be inviting their new best friends in for some big reconstructioin/modernization projects, as well as buying nifty new high-tech weapons to try to prevent the US from re-taking the island).
You can call the US policy toward Taiwan whatever you want, but it’s kept Taiwan out of Communist hands for more than 50 years, and it was Ronald Reagan who forced CCK to start opening up which eventually lead to the end of martial law and the beginnings of democracy. I think many Taiwanese (and foreigners) tend to forget that little part.
… and if Singapore is a piece of snot hugging the PRC’s lam pa, then France is a big piece of s**t … the kind that makes you constipated and really annoying to get rid of …
Why would China having greater sphere of influence than USA and Japan in the region be unpsetting to the balance of power? It’s been that way for most of written history in the region. It’s more like the current balance is unstable in my opinion. Especially if USA interest is now in the Middle East and cheaper manufacturing sector to fuel the consumer market.
Duh … the US doesn’t want to see Chinese expansion into the Pacific like the Japanese did during World War II. The US has been the dominant power in the Pacific since 1945 and it wants to stay that way. By keeping Taiwan out of PRC hands, the US has a “buffer” so to speak between China and the Pacific (Guam, the Marshal Islands, Hawaii, etc.). Taiwan is also an extremely vital intelligence gathering post for the CIA and NSA (what do you think all those satellite dishes, antenna, and military facilities up on Yangmingshan are for?) China is more or less “contained” by South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan.
This is not even to mention Japan. Japan is fearful of Chinese expansion and hegemony as well. Taiwan being taken over by the PRC would make Japan nervous that they might be next. Hence they would develop a nuclear arsenal (they have the capacity to do so VERY fast). If Japan did this, it would freak the hell out of North Korea and they would speed up their nuclear program, thus scaring South Korea into developing their own (they have the capability to). Do you see where this is going? A massive arms buildup and return to a Cold War situation is something no one wants to see. This is why Taiwan is so vital (not to mention democracy is a good thing – although it would be better if it weren’t run by a bunch of incompetent buffoons like the DPP or crooks like the KMT – but it’s still a hell of a lot better than N. Korea or China).
Therefore, this is all the more reason why Taiwan needs to not only FORCE through the special budget for the arms procurement, they need to request even more Patriot PAC3 batteries, purchase (or start making) a newer generation of MBTs and IFVs, keep pushing to get the AEGIS system for destroyers and/or frigates to be able to mount an adequate air defense, and most importantly completely restructure their military command and control and shift from a conscript army to a totally professional, more streamlined military (and they need to do this FAST). As I’ve stressed before, the ROC is moving dangerously slow in doing what it takes to preserve its way of life.
Does China have an expanist policy for Guam and Hawaii? That’s news to me.
Japan was a vassel kingdom to China for centuries will little or no issues. Under the USA, Japanese have had quite a few civil disputes with USA military personel.
Korea was also another vassel kingdom kept in check by China for a few centuries. Similar civilian and USA military personel issues have occurred there as well.
Personally I think we should let China take up the lead in foriegn policy in the region and USA can focus on the middle east.
If Taiwan could afford the arms, it wouldn’t such an issue at this time.
Does China have an expansionist policy? Hello?!?! What do you call Tibet, Xinjiang, Taiwan, the Spratly Islands, etc.? China’s claim is that these were all once under the control of the Chinese, and are historically Chinese territory (even though it can be said that large chunks of China were at one point controlled by the Tibetans). What is to prevent them from saying the same of Korea, Japan, or any other territory that was once part of “China”? Who would have thought that the Japanese wanted Guam or Hawaii? There was even talk of an invasion of the US west coast.
I think you need to go back and take “Foreign Policy 101.” The US would never willingly give up its dominant position in the Pacific, and Taiwan is a vital part of that.
Not if you consider China’s borders as of 1850. China is still missing nearly 30% of her territories. Outer Mongolia got its independence, outer Manchuria is now the Russian Far East, and a big swath of Xinjiang up to the Qianlong line is now part of Kazakhstan. Whether China is expansionary or not is a matter of interpretation.
If they have the means and desire to press their claims, I don’t see any reason thats stopping them.
by the way Comrades Stalin, you don’t have to go that far back to press Chinese claims on Vietnam. China ceeded sovreignty over Annam and Tonkin to France as late as 1885 I believe.
What are the dangers of letting the Chinese getting back their historical claim land and USA interest.
Tibet, are you serious? USA has no freaking interest in Tibet.
Mongolia, agian, are you serious? USA has no interest in Mongolia
Xinjiang? PRC is fighting Al Qeada there as well. So it is in USA interest that they take up that boarder war which has been going on longer in PRC than USA.
How did Japan and taking over the USA west coast get into the picture? Don’t tell me all Asians have the same expansionist foriegn policy now.
Our original need for the Pacific rim deterant was to keep in check the Communist 2nd world nations. Given the fact that there is not really a Communist bloc anymore, is it prudent to spend all that money in Asia, when USA interest are clearly needs more focus in the Middle East.
As for Taiwan, who really believes ROC would join a Japan, SK, USA invasion into the mainland.
Just like what were the dangers of letting Nazi Germany taking back their “historical claims” in France, Austria, Czechoslovakia, etc. Right? C’mon …
[quote=“ac_dropout”]Tibet, are you serious? USA has no freaking interest in Tibet.
Mongolia, agian, are you serious? USA has no interest in Mongolia[/quote]
No one is talking about invading Tibet or Mongolia (in fact, I didn’t mention Mongolia in my first post at all). The Tibet example (as well as Taiwan) is to show that the PRC does have expansionist tendencies.
The evidence of a major link between Al Qaeda and Uyghur independence groups in Xinjiang is flimsy at best. The PRC is just using that as a pretext to further suppress the Uyghur people. Have you ever been to Xinjiang? Spent any significant time living with the Uyghur people and discussing their situation/aspirations with them? I have … You obviously have no idea of what the situation out there is or what the human rights track record of the PRC in the region is. For example, were you aware that the PLA and police go into universities in Xinjiang during Ramadan and forces students to break the fast at gunpoint?
Is English not your native language? Do you not read well?
The analogy with Japan is to show that like no one would have expected that Japan had aspirations to take Hawaii or attack the US west coast (they did launch air balloon bombs that struck the mainland US), how do we know how far the PRC is willing to go? Hence the need to contain them. The US policy has been containment of the PRC for decades.
The Middle East is not the only flashpoint or area of strategic interest in the world. If you think this, then your worldview is extremely narrow.
Dude, who said anything about an invasion of the mainland?!?! :loco:
[quote=“Jive Turkey”]
Those were not the borders of “China.” Those were the borders of the Qing Empire. Are you arguing for the restoration of the Qing Empire? [/quote]
If you’re trying to suggest that ROC has a living god as a leader and illiterate slaves bending to his every whim…I’m sure CSB and his supporters have been called worst.
I’m glad Pres. Bush doesn’t need even flimsy evidence at best to look out for USA interest. Based on this PRC should have invaded Iraq in mid 90’s.
Uhm, besides being a general Asian-phobia remark, Japan was actaully in the midst of military conquest for a decade in the Pacific Rim before attacking the USA. China for the most part decade has been seeking diplomatic relations to settle most boarder dispute which arose after the establishment of the PRC.
But hey, if they look a like, they must have the same foriegn policy as well.
What? The Iran-Contra affair. The Iran-Iraq war. The liberation of Kuwait. The Isreal-Palestine issue. OPEC.
The USA media is cornacopia of Middle East focus events compared to Taiwan or East Asia focus event.
Or more to the point, neo-cons cannot stand a global multi-polar argument, where USA interest is perhaps not the best way to achieve global stability, including the Straits Issues.
Or perhaps ROC participation in the USA lead China Containment Policy, is not in the best interest of ROC.
Hypothetically, if ROC was viewed as a pure neutral state; militarily, politically, and economically by PRC and USA, I suspect the Strait Issue might not be as delicate as it is now.
The key issue is - Taiwan is not considered a state neutral or otherwise :homer:
Let’s reunite historical Germany while we’re at it. I’m sure that the southern Baltic States, Western Poland, Austria, Northern Czechoslovakia wouldn’t mind. Oh! wait a second! -they tried that already in 1938.
This issue has nothing to do with Neo-con’s. But it has everything to do with extreme nationalism/xenophobia in China and what happened next door in Russia.
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